A New Study Shows That Women Experiencing High Risk Pregnancies Who Receive Progesterone Have A 45% Lower Rate Of Premature Delivery. Furthermore, The Risk Of Breathing Complications In The Delivered Babies Is Lower.

a new study shows that women experiencing high risk pregnancies who receive progesterone have a 45% lower rate of premature delivery. Furthermore, the risk of breathing complications in the delivered babies is lower.

Hot on the heels of all of the price controversy over Makena, a drug approved by the FDA to prevent preterm birth, a new study shows that women experiencing high risk pregnancies who receive progesterone have a 45% lower rate of premature delivery. Furthermore, the risk of breathing complications in the delivered babies is lower.

The research

The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Health and 44 medical facilities (world-wide) and was published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The researchers studied 458 women with a short cervix who were split into two groups: One group received a placebo and the other received a vaginal gel with progesterone. They were treated between their 19th and 23rd weeks of pregnancy.

The results

Delivery:

16.1% of women in the placebo group delivered before 33 weeks

8.8% of women in the treatment group delivered before 33 weeks

Babies:

7.6% of babies from placebo group had Respiratory Distress Syndrome

3.3% of babies in treatment group had Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The researchers believed that women with a short cervix may not get enough progesterone, so the study group was comprised of women with a short cervix. As it turns out, it appears that their suspicions could be correct.

Roman [Dr. Ashley Roman of New York University's Langone Medical Center, who was not involved with the research] said other studies have shown that progesterone can cut the risk of premature birth in women with this problem. She said the NIH study is important because it shows that the treatment also reduces respiratory problems in newborn babies. "Not only are fewer babies being delivered preterm, fewer babies have medical problems associated with prematurity," she said in a statement.